


When Fate leads you in the wrong direction

by LittleRookie



Series: The problems with Fate [3]
Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fate, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-24 18:00:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20018683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleRookie/pseuds/LittleRookie
Summary: Lance couldn't read his soulmark. Not at all.Esteban thinks he has found his soulmate. But he is definitely wrong.So, Fate has to step in.





	When Fate leads you in the wrong direction

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm still alive, guys. Sorry for not posting a story for such a long time.  
> But I really wanted to write another story in my fate-series and Esteban/Lance were the perfect pair.  
> I hope you enjoy :)

When Lance was born his parents discovered his soulmate mark on his right thigh. However when they tried to read it, it was just some illegible scrawl absolutely indecipherable. Lance's parents shared a worried glance but they couldn't do anything about it. Fate had decided to give their son this exact mark and nothing could change fate's mind.

Lance grew up with stories about soulmates and he loved them to no end. He always asked his mum to tell him the story of one of his relatives and how they had found their significant other. But after that when his mum had kissed him goodnight Lance would lie in bed, hand on his thigh resting over his soulmark. And more than once there was a single tear running down Lance's cheek when he thought about how difficult fate had made finding his soulmate. Because if there wouldn't be a miracle he would never be able to decipher his mark. Never find his mate. Never find happiness. And that was a thought that made Lance curl into himself, whishing that fate would be lenient and that he would be able to find his soulmate after all.

And fate smiled and a soft breeze stroked over Lance's cheek, wiping away the tears he cried. 

***

Esteban stroked over his soulmark, smiling while doing so. When he was a kid he often quarreled with the fact that he only had two letters instead of a clear and legible name. 

L W

Well, at least Esteban thought it was an L and a W. But it certainly looked like it. And now Esteban had the chance to proof it was actually those two letters written on his left thigh. He had met Liam Wayler a few weeks ago and something between them had totally clicked. They got along right from the start and when Liam had told Esteban his full name the Frenchman had gasped inwardly. He couldn't help but wonder if Liam was indeed his soulmate. And he was bound to find out. They hadn't talked about soulmates yet, of course not, after all they didn't know each other _that_ well. But Esteban was buzzing with energy and he just wanted to _know_! So he decided to just approach Liam with the subject. He only hoped that the other guy really was his significant other.   
But when Esteban walked up to Liam – he had invited him to the first race of the season – he almost had a heart attack when he saw Liam talking with a girl Esteban had never seen before. But they were not only talking. In their eyes you coukd see a certain gleam. A gleam that was only seen with people who had just found their other half. Stopping dead in his tracks Esteban watched the girl pulling back her hair to reveal a neat signature. Liam smiled and stroked over it before showing the girl what had to be her signature. It was behind Liam's ear. In that moment Esteban knew that Liam was not his soulmate. After all if he was he would have had his signature somewhere on his right thigh on the exact opposite spot to Esteban's mark.

Turning on his heel Esteban hurried away, not realizing that tears began to slip down his cheeks. He stumbled down the pitlane not caring about anyone else. That was until he suddenly bumped into someone.   
“Easy there!” A soft voice said and gentle hands were steadying Esteban. When the Frenchman looked up he suddenly gazed into the softest and warmest brown eyes he had ever seen. Gasping Esteban struggled to keep himself upright and the stranger helped him until he was standing steady on his own two feet again. The younger guy – boy – fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. It was a team shirt Esteban realized. So the other guy was a driver, too. But which one again?  
“I'm Lance by the way.” The boy suddenly introduced himself as if he had read Esteban's thoughts. “Lance Stroll. I'm the rookie here, it's my first season.” Esteban smiled, briefly thinking back to his own debut.   
“Nice to meet you, Lance.” He then said shaking the offered hand. “I'm Esteban.”  
“I know.” Lance grinned. “I have looked up all the faces of the grid. After all I want to know who I'm driving against. And who I'm going to beat.” Esteban chuckled.  
“Well, good luck then. I won't make it easy for you.” Lance laughed and his eyes sparkled.  
“I'm counting on it.” He said with a wink before he strolled away with a wave of good bye. Esteban looked after him. A strange feeling was forming in his chest. Could it be that...   
No. Esteban shook his head. It couldn't be. Lance's family name was Stroll. S not W. Esteban sighed.

And his sigh was mirrored by fate. It would have been the perfect opportunity. But it didn't matter. They would come to terms. It was their fate after all.

***

Time flew by and the season went on. Esteban had formed a strong friendship with Liam and his mate Emily. After the initial disappointment about Liam not being his soulmate, Esteban had pushed those feelings aside and searched for a friendship between the three of them. Luckily it did work and Esteban never had told Liam that he had thought he would be his destined mate and he would never do so. But while Esteban had formed a friendship with Liam he also grew closer to Lance. The Canadian was easy to talk to and Esteban felt himself being drawn to the younger man. He often seeked out Lance's presence and they would often be found talking about all kind of things. Except for one topic: Soulmates.  
Esteban still was in search for someone called L W and Lance who still had been unable to decipher his mark did not think about Esteban possibly being his mate either. So the topic was never brought up. That was until fate had had enough.

It was around Lance's birthday when the Canadian didn't feel well at all. He started to get headaches, his vision got blurry and he felt like he had a fever. Still, he brushed it off. There was an important press conference and Lance didn't dare to miss it. So he stumbled in the direction of the conference room desperaltely trying to stay on his feet. He felt relieved when he fell into his chair and the room stopped to spin. At least a little bit.  
“Hey. Everything alright?” Someone suddenly asked. Lance looked up and gazed into the concerned eyes of a certain Frenchman.  
“Esteban.” He whispered. And then suddenly everything went black.

When Lance woke up he heard voices whispering and felt a hand tightly clutching his.  
“Lance?” Someone whispered and the hold on his hand tightend. “Lance how are you feeling?” Lance blinked and when his eyes focused he recognized Esteban leaning over him, the Frenchman looking concerned and a little bit frightend. His eyes were large and he looked as if he had cried recently. Instinctively Lance's grip tightened around Esteban's hand.  
“What happened?” He croaked. Esteban sighed.  
“You passed out just before the press conference.” He told the Canadian. “They took you to the hospital but the doctor didn't really know what was wrong with you. He said that you were perfectly fine. But then the nurse told us that she had seen this somewhere else. She said that she knew a guy who had found his soulmate but didn't know it was him. They were good friends but they never talked about soulmates. So one day fate stepped in. One of them started to grow feverish and he was also unsteady on his feet. The nurse didn't know why fate would choose such a way for them to finally talk and admit their feelings for each other but apparently it worked.”  
Lance was silent for a while. Then he slowly looked up to meet Esteban's gaze.  
“But the only one who would fit such a description would be you.” He whispered hoarsely. Esteban's eyes widened.  
“Me?” He croaked. Lance nodded.  
“Of course you, silly. You're the only one who I formed a friendship with in the last few months. And we never talked about soulmates. So it must be you!” A sad flicker crossed Esteban's face.  
“But it is not you.” He whispered. My signature says LW and your last name is Stroll. S not W.”   
Suddenly a flicker of realization crossed Lance's face.  
“May I see your mark?” He asked almost timidly. Esteban shrugged and pulled up the left leg of his shorts. There on his left thigh were the two letters that resembled an L and a W. In the moment he saw them Lance sighed in relief.  
“It's mine.” He whispered. “It's really mine!”  
“It's yours?” Esteban asked disbelieving. “But it is...”  
“I don't write my name that neatly.” Lance admitted sheepishly. “What you thought a W is actually my first name.”   
“Oh my god.” Esteban whispered. “I never dared to hope. But it is you.”  
“It is.” Lance agreed before he pulled back his duvet and nightgown to reveal a messy scribble. But Esteban recognized it instantly.  
“That's my signature!” He whispered almost shocked. “I ... I actually don't know what to say.”  
“Then don't say anything.” Lance whispered and pulled Esteban closer to him until their lips met.  
And in the moment their lips touched their soulmarks tingled and fate let out a reliefed sigh.

***

After they had found out about being soulmates it didn't take long for Lance to be released from the hospital. Esteban helped him by driving him to his apartment. When they parked in front of the building Lance gnawed on his bottom lip.  
“Do you ... erm ... do you want to come up with me?” He asked a little nervous. But to his relief Esteban only smiled.  
“I would love to.” He said getting out of the car. The Frenchman pulled Lance's bag out of the trunk of his car and followed the Canadian into the building. Lance opened the door to his apartement and let Esteban step inside. Esteban looked around the flat while Lance went into the living room placing his bag there. Then he turned to his soulmate.  
“If you want I can give you a tour of the flat.” He offered and Esteban readily agreed. So Lance showed him everything of the spacious apartement leaving out one room in particular.   
“Ad this is the bedroom.” Lance declared while opening the door to said room. Esteban stepped in and looked around.   
“You have a very big bed.” He commented. Lance blushed a little bit.  
“Well, yeah...” Was all he could say. Esteban smiled.   
“Want to show me how much space thee is?” He asked, taking Lance's hand and pulling him to the bed. Lance's eyes lit up.   
“Of course!” He whispered seductively and pulled his soulmate onto the sheets.

And while they were making love for the first time of many times, fate smiled and turned away. Another pair was waiting for her help. Esteban and Lance would be alright from now on. That's for sure.

**Author's Note:**

> Would you like me to write Pierre/Charles next?  
> Or maybe someone else? Prompts welcome :)


End file.
